Rotary fluid driven motor



May 14, 1935.

G. PLATO ROTARY FLUID DRIVEN MOTOR Filed June 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. GEEHARDT PLATO A TTORNEY.

May 14, 1935. G. PLATO I 2,000,984

ROTARY FLUID DI ZIVEN MOTOR Filed June 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 INVENTOR. Y GEE/#1207 PLA To A TTORNE Y.

Zi 2/ 23? f Patented May 14, 1935 imn' srss PATENT OFFICE My invention pertains to an improved con struotion of motor adapted to be driven by. fluid under pressure, my constructionpertaining particularly to governing devices for maintaining the speed of the motor practically constant for wide variations of load'on the motor, and alsoto novel oiling devices for the motor.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical,-sectional. view through the motor, taken transversely of the shaft thereof, this view being taken along the line l-Iin,Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken longitudinally through the shaft of the motor, this View being taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows in a View similar to Fig. 2 and to an enlarged scale, the valve and governing mechanism employed to control the operation of the motor,

Fig. 4c is a sectional View to a further enlarged scale o f-the governing mechanism shown in Fig. 3, taken along theline 5- 1,

Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the parts shown in Fig. 3, to a further enlarged scale, taken along the line 5-5, i i

Figs fi, 7 and 8 show in views similar to'Fig. 5 and to a further enlarged scale, the relation of the ports controlled by the governing mechanism, for the starting condition of the motorffor' its full load condition, and for its idling condition when being driven at maximum speed without load, respectively,

Fig. 9 is a sectional view to an enlarged'scale of the parts shown in Fig. Ztaken along the line 9-9, I

Fig. 10 is a side elevation to a further'enlarged scale, of the spring adjusting mechanism of the governing devices shown in Fig. 4, and

Fig. 11 is a sectional View of the parts shown in Fig. 10 taken along the line i l-I I.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several Views.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, myniotor consists of a casing Ill provided with end bores forming cylinders, in which pistons ii and i2 eccentrically mounted on the'motor shaft l3 are rotatable, in such a manner that the part of greatest diameter of each piston is always in slidingengagement with the cylindrical portion of its bore, the pistons being separated from each other by a partition Ilia forming a part of the casing It]. The pistons H and I2 are enclosed by end plates Hi and I5 respectively, the end e'plate Ml'having an extending portion Ma aroundthe shaft I3, to

with a load to be driven.

contain a ball hearing it to support one end of the shaft. The shaft It has secured thereto between the ball bearing I t and the piston H, a gear l! meshing with anidling gear Iilsupported for rotation on a stud is mounted in the end 5 plate M, "which idling gear I8 in turn meshes with a gear 2i! secured to a tubular valve member 2i mounted for rotation in a cylindrical bore in the upper part of the casing it, which bore is substantially parallel with the bores in the body 10 portion to receive the pistons ii and i2. As a result oithe gearing described, the valve member 2 l is rotated at the same speed and in the same direction as the shaft I3. The valve member 2! is provided adjacent the gear 29, with a ball 15 hearing 22 supported in a cap 23 secured in any suitable manner not shown, to the outer surface of the end plate M, which cap also supports the outer end of the stud I9.

The other end of the shaft I3 is supported by a ball bearing 24 carried by the end plate llijhdjacent the bearing 24, the shaft I3 is provided with a flange lta' contained in a corresponding'counterbore in the piston I2. The pistons ii and 52 are keyed to the shaft i3, as indicated, and are" preferably displaced 180-from eachother angularly. The pistons are held in properly spaced relation to engage the partition 'tudinal movement on the shaft I3, and the inner portion ofthe hearing it, is'also securely held against similar longitudinal movement. The outer surface of-the sleeve 21 is cylindrical and a sliding lit in a bore therefore in the extension I ia of the end plate I4, which bore is preferably provided with a recess I 4b for packing material, to retain lubricant in the bearing I 6 andp revent dust and dirt entering said bearing. Outside of the threaded portion I31), the shaft 3 is extended as indicated at I for connection Between the-tubular valve 2 I, and the bores for the pistons l land I2, ports 28 and 29 are formed in the casing It, to communicate fluid under pressure for example air, to the bores containing the pistons, during time intervals controlled by the valve 2!, to rotate the pistons in the direction indicated in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 1, a curved gate 30 is mounted in a corresponding groove in the upper part of the casing ID, to divide the clearance space between the piston l2 and the cylindrical surface of its bore into two parts, so that after the portion of greatest diameter of the piston 12 passes the gate 3%], air under pressure may be admitted in front of the gate 30 through the ports 29 by the tubular valve 2!, producing rotation of the piston and the shaft in the direction indicated, at which time air under pressure in the bore from a preceding cycle of operation, is retained back of the gate 36 and directed by it into a passageway communicating with a plurality of apertures 32 through the wall of the casing l0, opening to atmosphere, which apertures provide for the free exhaust of the back of the gate 30, as the portion of greatest diameter of the piston I2 approaches the gate 36.

lhe top part of the casing It! has secured thereto a handle 33 provided with a valve 34 carried by a valve stem 35, the lower end of which stem is in line with a crank 38, which as more clearly shown in Fig. 2, is carried by the cylindrical head 31 of an operating rod 38 extending through a screw bushing 39, and having secured to its outer end a laterally extending member 56, by which the head Bl and crank 36 may be conveniently rotated to raise the valve stem 35, when it is desired to operate the motor. When the head 31 is turned to permit the valve 3 3 to engage its seat ll, the valve closes under the action of a spring 52 mounted between the valve member 34 and a hose connection 33 inserted in the outer end of the handle 33. The handle 33 is provided with a cored passageway 44, permitting air entering under the valve 3 1 to flow freely through the handle to a clearance space 35 formed in the inner end portion of the handle adjacent the outer surface of the casing Iii, which clearance space communicates as indicated, with the groove 30a formed in the casing I9 to mount the gate 30. In this manner whenever the motor is in operation by open ng the valve 34, air under pressure is communicated to the upper edge of the gate 30 and the pressure thereby produced on the gate holds it firmly against the outer surface of the piston i2. The piston H is provided with a similar gate, similarly mounted in the casing l and similarly subjected to the air pressure in the clearance space 45.

As shown in Fig. '2, the tubular valve member 25 extends beyond the casing 10 at its left hand end, and through a bore therefor in the end plate to. Adjacent the outer surface of the casing H], the valve member 2| is provided with an outwardly extending flange 2la, the bore in the end plate 65 being a'sliding fit on the outer surface of said flange. The portion of the valve member 2i outside of the flange 2 la, has mounted thereon, a sleeve id of substantially the same external diameter as the flange 21a, and provided at its left hand end as shown in Fig. 2, with a flange the outer end surface of the flange 46a being substantially in line, preferably, with the outer surface of the end plate l5. The valve member 28 is provided with ports 21b co-operating with ports in the sleeve 46 so that angular movement of the sleeve 46 relatively to the valve member 25, determines theamount of air admitted to the interior of the valve member 2 I, when the motor is in operation.

As more clearly-shown in Fig. 3,,the valve member 2! is provided with opposite ports 2 lo and 2 id, for communication with the ports 28 and 29 respectively, at proper times to produce operation of the pistons II and i2 in the manner above .escribed, the ports 2 I0 and 25d being preferably of such a size and so disposed angularly that air under pressure is admitted in front of each of the gates when the portion of the corresponding piston of largest diameter has passed the gate, this communication of air under pressure being preferably contiued until the piston has made substantially half a rotation, at which time the supply of compressed air is preferably interrupted, to prevent retarding the operation of the motor by back pressures that would be developed if air under pressure were communicated to the space in front of the gate longer than described. The tubular valve 2! thus provides a means by which any desired timing of admission and cut ofi of air under pressure, may be secured. Adjacent the flange 46a, aplate 51 is secured to the valve member 2! in any convenient manner, for example by screws l'lc as indicated in Fig. 3, the plate serving to hold the sleeve 46 in place on the valve member 2i, so that it may be freely moved angularly on the valve member by the governing devices.

As more clearly shown in Fig. i, an arm 48 is pivotally connected with the plate ll at 49, and extends around the adjacent portion of the valve membed 2 i, and just below the axis of said valve member, the arm is provided with a lateral extension lSa extending through a slot 21c formed through the adjacent portion of the valve member 21, to receive it. The lower edge of the extension dBa, is provided with a notch 48b engaging the upper end of a lever 59 pivotally secured to the plate l? at its mid portion as indicated at St. I'he lower end of the lever 58, is pro vided with an arm 58a extending from the lever towards the flange 45c, through a clearance opening 47a in the adjacent edge portion of the plate 41, so that the arm 56a may engage a slot 460 in the flange 46a. The parts just described are so related that movement or" the arm 18 on its pivotal support 49, rocks the lever on its pivotal support El and imparts angular movement to the flange 46a and sleeve 46, relatively to the plate 41 and valve member 2|. The arm 48 has rigidly secured thereto, for example by riveting,

a weight dficg'the arm and weight being so proportioned and shaped, that rotation of the plate 41 with the valve member 2!, in the direction indicated by the arrow, tends to move the weight and arm outwardly away from the axis of the valve member. The flange 45a carries a pin 52 extending laterally from the flange through a clearance opening Alb in the plate 11, to engage one end of a spring 53, the other end of which is connected with a lug 54a extending eccentrically from a disk 54 secured to the plate 4'! bya clamping screw 55 as indicated. The spring 53 tends to move the flange 455a and sleeve 45 angularly relatively to the plate 47, in a direction to move the arm 48 and the weight 480 towards the end portion of the valve member 25, against the centrifugal force which may be exerted on the arm 4% at any time, by rotation of the arm 48 and the weight 58a with the plate 5?. The lug 54a extends from the edge portion of the disk 54, so that turning the disk from one position to another on the plate ll, by loosening the screw 55, affords a convenient means for adjusting the tension of the spring 53, so that the control exerted .by the governing mechanism may be as desired. Outside of the governing mechanism, the valve member 2|, as shown in Fig. 2, has a ball bearing 56 to support the left hand end of the valve member for free rotary movement, said ball bearing 56 being supported by a cap 51, which cap is securedto the end plate l5 in any convenient manner not shown, for example by screws, said cap also surrounding and enclosing the governing mechanismdescribed. As indicatedin Fig. 2, the end plate I5 is preferably cored around the bearing 24 as indicated at l5a, to form an oil receptacle provided with screw plugs 58 to afford access to the receptacle as desired, the oil serving to lubricate the motor ina manner to be described. As shown in Fig. 2, the borein the end plate l5 around the sleeve 46, forms a 'to the clearance space l5b, to supplycompressed air to the interior of the valve member 2| according to the position of the'sleeve 46 on the valve member 2] v at the time. i

As shown in Fig. 5, theports 46b in the sleeve 46 are inclined towards the direction of motion.

of the sleeve indicated by the arrow, and the ports 2|b in the valve member 2| are similarly inclined. This construction I find greatly in creases the efficiency of operation of the motor, since the inclined ports tend to draw the air from the clearance space [5b and force it through the ports into the interior of the valve member 2|, instead of setting up a back pressure on. the air flow, whichresult occurs where radially extending ports areused. In adjusting the governing mechanism, the sleeve 46 ispreferably adjusted so that the ports 46b and 2lb will occupy the relation to each other for different operating conditions of the motor, shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. In Fig. 6 one of the ports 4% is shown in the relation it occupies to the corresponding port 21b when themotor is at rest, and at the instant the valve .34 is opened. As soon as the motor reaches its normal working speed, the action of the governing mechanism described, produces relativemovem'ent between the sleeve 46 and the valve member 2| moving the ports 46b and 2lb into alignment with each other, which is the condition for'full load operation of the motor. If and when the load on the motor is removed, with'the valve 34 inits open position, the tendency of the motor to increase its speed, acts on the. governing mechanism described, to move the sleeve 46 angularly relatively to the valve member 2| to the position illustrated in Fig. 8, so that the port 21b is nearly closed by the sleeve 46, the amount of opening being just sufiicient to drive the'motor without load, at a speed slightly greater than its speed under full load. In considering the movement of theports 46b relatively to the ports Zlb by the governing mechanism in the manner described, it will be observed that the valve member 2| is the part that is positively driven by the motor, the sleeve member 2|, always tends to produce relative movement between the sleeve and valve member, in the same direction that the governor mechanism at that time operates to produce relative movement between these parts. As shown in Fig. 6, the port filth leads the port 2 lb sufficiently so that the net opening of the port 251) permits sufficient air to flowto positively start the, motor. As the valve member 21! accelerates, the tendency of the sleeve it due to its inertia, is to lag'behind the movement of the valve member 2 l, which is precisely the relative movement imparted to the sleeve by the governing mechanism, due to the acceleration of the valve member it, until the ports Nb and Nb are in alignment as shown in Fig. 7, at which time the motor will be. operating at maximum speed for full load. Again, if while working at the full load speed of the motor for which the governing mechanism is adjusted, the load is removed from the motor, the resultant acceleration of the valve member Zl' tends to move the valve member ahead of the sleeve lt due to the inertia of the sleeve it, which again is exactly the movement imparted to the sleeve ii? relatively to the valve member 2!, bythe governing mechanism, this relative movement continuing, until the resulting net opening of the port 21b is just sufficient to drive the motor at a speed slightly greater than the maximum full load speed of the motor. With the motor running idle as described, if a load is suddenly applied to the motor, the deceleration of the valve member 2i results in a tendency of the sleeve .5 to move ahead of the valve member 25, due to the inertia of the sleeve 46, which is again just the nature of relative movement produced between i the sleeve 46 and valve member 2! by thegoverning mechanism.

As shown in Figs li) and 11, the disk 54 is preferably provided on its surface adjacent the plate 41, with radial ridgesor teeth 5% for engagement with similar teeth on the plate 41, the teeth being preferably of small pitch, so that when the screw 55 is tightened for any adjustment of the disk 56, the engagement of the teeth referred to, prevents turning movement of the disk 5:3 on the plate ll.

As a result of the direction of movement of the sleeve t6 due to its inertia and due to the governing mechanism, relatively to the valve member 2!, for speed changes of the valve member 2!, I find that the amount of sleeve turning effort required to be developed by the governing mechanism, is very much less than is the case where the movement imparted to the governed member is in a direction opposite to its inertia tendency for the speed changes producing operation by the governing mechanism. As a result, I am able to govern the motor within very close limits of operation.

As shown in Fig. 9, the cored space E511 surrounding the bearing 25 in the end plate I5, is provided with an upper extension I50 through which a needle valve 53 extends, the tapered end of which needle valve engages a seat 60 forming a communicating passageway between the extension E50 and the port sea. The valve 59 is provided with a threaded head the engaging athreaded bore 6i, so that by turning the needle valve 59 it may be moved into and from the tapered valve seat til as desired, and thus establish a desired degree of opening between the extension I50 and the port std. Oil is placed in the compartment Mia and movement of the motor results in the oil finding its way into the extension 50 and around the needle valve, and to the extent permitted by its opening, into the port 46d. Since all of the air flowing to the motor passes through the port 46d, the oil is picked up by the air stream and serves to lubricate any of the moving parts with which the air comes in contact. The needle valve 59 is of a length such that the outer end of the threaded head 59a is a substantial distance within the outer surface of the threaded bore GI, and the outer end of said bore is closed by a flanged screw 52 which tightly engages the surface of the end plate I5 adjacent the bore 8|, to prevent leakage of oil through said bore and from the casing, whatever may be the adjustment of the needle valve 59. Besides tightly closing the bore 6!, the screw 62 insures against tampering with the needle valve 59, thus reasonably assuring that the needle valve will be retained in its adjustment, once it is properly set.

The motor above described is intended for portable use, and to facilitate handling it, I preferably provide the casing ID with a threaded boss 63 extending radially from it, to receive a correspondingly threaded handle 64, the handle 64 being at such an angle to the handle 33, that the motor may be positively held by the operator in connection with any work the motor is required to do. I do not however, limit my invention to portable motors, as it is equally applicable to fluid operated motors generally, of the rotary type, regardless of the specific construction of the pistons and parts directly associated with them.

While the illustrative motor is above described as operated by air under pressure, I do not limit myself to that driving medium, as fluid of any kind, capable of exerting pressure on the piston or pistons, may be employed as desired. It will also be understood that the motor may contain any number of pistons desired, related angularly in any desired manner.

While I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment above described, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to this exact construction as I may employ equivalents known to the art at the time of the filing of this application without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Mechanism for controlling the supplying of fluid under pressure to a motor operated by said fluid, consisting of a rotary valve cyclically controlling the flow of driving fluid to the motor, and driven continuously by the motor proportionally to the speed thereof, a member mounted on said valve and rotatable synchronously with said valve for constant speed of said motor and movable relatively to said valve within governing limits for changes in speed of said motor, and

governor mechanism having rotation corresponding to rotation of said valve and connected with said member and moving said member relatively to said valve for speed changes of said valve, said valve having ports controlled as to size by said relative movement of said member, said governor mechanism comprising an arm carried by said valve for outward movement centrifugally, a lever pivotally supported at its mid portion by said rotary valve and at one end engaging said arm, operating connections between the other end of said lever and said member, and a spring opposing outward movement of said arm.

2. Mechanism for controlling the supplying of fluid under pressure to a motor operated by said fluid, consisting of a rotary valve cyclically controlling the flow of driving fluid to the motor, and driven continuously by the motor proportionally to the speed thereof, a member mounted on said valve and rotatable synchronously with said valve for constant speed of said motor and movable relatively to said valve within governing limits for changes in speed 01"- said motor, and governor mechanism having rotation corresponding to rotation of said valve and connected with said member and moving said member relatively to said valve for speed changes of said valve, said valve having portscontrolled as to size by said relative movement of said member, said governor mechanism comprising an arm carried by said valve for outward movement centrifugally, a lever pivotally supported at its mid portion by said rotary valve and at one end engaging said arm, operating connections between the other end of said lever and said member, and a spring opposing outward movement of said arm, said connections between said arm and said member moving said member relatively to said valve by said arm movement, in the same direction as the inertia tendeney of said member for the corresponding speed change of said valve.

3. Governing mechanism for controlling the effective port opening of a ported cylindrical valve having continuous rotation, comprising a port controlling member rotatable with said valve and also capable of movement relatively to said valve, said valve having a portion ported to cooperate with said port controlling member, and governor mechanism rotatable with said valve, said governor mechanism comprising an arm mounted for rotation and for outward movement centrifugally, a lever pivotally supported at its mid portion by said valve and at one end engaging said arm, operating connections between the other end of said lever and said member, and a spring opposing outward movement of said arm.

GERHARDT PLATO. 

